"The grief must be unbearable" - Fans stand with Francis Ngannou as he returns to training post tragic passing of son Kobe

Fans extended their support to Francis Ngannou as he resumed training after a dark chapter in his life. Ngannou's 15-month-old son, Kobe, tragically passed away on April 27. The Cameroonian fighter had stayed away from the public sphere after the funeral.

The MMA community and Ngannou's teammates supported him during the tough time and shared messages of support to help him deal with the loss. Having recovered from the tragedy, Ngannou seems to have resumed training. His trainer and Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick recently took to Instagram and shared photos of 'The Predator's' recent training session:

"Back in the flow w/ Big Bubba."

Fans took to the comments section to send encouraging messages to Ngannou:

"Bless him, the grief must be unbearable. Francis is one of the kindest fighters I’ve had the pleasure to meet. Thank you Eric for being a support to him," @motherofdacshunds commented.

"Welcome back warrior," @officialgreysmith commented.

Hope he’s okay after the loss. Awesome to see him back at it!" @thatguyjameso wrote.

Support came pouring in for the former UFC champion and fans expressed their sympathy in the comments section:

"God bless Francis Ngannou. Still feel so bad for him losing his kid," @vijason_segel commented.

"Good to see you @francisngannou you are the best and we believe in your comeback," @sethadanamenoukon wrote.

"You made it through the valley of the shadow of death," lordnord69 commented.

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Eric Nicksick stood solidly with Francis Ngannou after his son's passing

Eric Nicksick has played a crucial role in Ngannou's combat sports career since the Cameroonian fighter joined the Xtreme Couture camp after leaving France-based The MMA Factory. 'The Predator' successfully captured and defended the UFC heavyweight title with help and guidance from Nicksick and Dewey Cooper, among others.

After Francis Ngannou confirmed the news of his son's passing on social media, Nicksick took to Instagram and extended his support to Ngannou:

"You’ve been our rock, our guiding light through thick and thin. Now, as you face this unimaginable loss, please know that we’re here for you, ready to be your support just as you’ve always been for us. Lean on us, cry with us, and let us share the burden of your grief. Together, we’ll navigate this dark time, and together, we’ll find a way to honor and remember your precious Kobe. You’re not alone in this, and you never will be. The Nicksick family loves you so much, Bubba."

On the professional front, Francis Ngannou suffered the first knockout loss of his combat sports career when he fought Anthony Joshua in a boxing match in March. The timeline of his return and future plans for his MMA and boxing career are not known yet.